1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to systems for monitoring a child in a car seat. More specifically, the invention is a system that uses sensors to monitor a variety of health indicators for an infant or child sitting in a car seat and then transmits the health indicators wirelessly to a remote signaling device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Parents today lead increasingly complex and demanding lives. For example, in two parent families, both parents frequently work for a variety of reasons ranging from the need to keep up with cost-of-living increases to the need for both parents to feel fulfilled on a business/professional level. The complexities and demands increase dramatically for single parents whose numbers have increased significantly over the last twenty years. However, along with managing business lives, all parents must also maintain a family life for their children. As a result of all of the above, infants and young children today spend a lot of time being driven around in the family vehicle. Whether it is going to and from daycare, running errands, or just the parent""s desire to have their child with them, children today can spend several hours a week in a car.
Parents want to be sure their children are comfortable and safe while traveling. Further, there are laws mandating the use of child safety seats in vehicles. Thus, a variety of infant car seats currently on the market are designed to reduce the risk of injury in the event of a collision with another vehicle. However, none of today""s car seats offer a parent the opportunity to monitor physiological conditions of the child in the car seat. This becomes important given the complexities of day-to-day life that may require parents to bring a sick child in the car. In addition, the medical profession""s ability to diagnose many early childhood health conditions or concerns may make it desirable to frequently monitor a child. Such monitoring is not possible when traveling in a car.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a health monitoring system for use with a car seat.
Another object of the present invention to provide a system that can monitor a variety of physiological conditions of a child in a car seat and provide a sensory detectable signal when one or more of the physiological conditions may be of concern.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious hereinafter in the specification and drawings.
In accordance with the present invention, a health monitoring system is provided for use with a child car seat. Sensors are mounted in a child car seat to monitor an occupant sitting therein in terms of at least one of respiratory rate, heart rate and body temperature of the occupant. A processor mounted to the child car seat and coupled to the sensors monitors sensor signals and generates status signals related to at least one of respiratory rate, heart rate and body temperature of the occupant. A transmitter mounted to the child car seat and coupled to the processor wirelessly transmits the status signals to a remotely located receiver. A signaling device coupled to the receiver produces at least one sensory (e.g., visual, audible, tactile) output based on the status signals. The signaling device can be mounted in the vehicle in which the child car seat is installed or can be worn by the driver of the vehicle.